The drought is hurting a lot of businesses in California, but an increase in water releases in Northern California rivers is providing a boost to rafting rentals.

The drought is hurting a lot of businesses in California, but an increase in water releases in Northern California rivers is providing a boost to rafting rentals.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 7:45 AM PDT May 26, 2015

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT ROB: THE ONGOING CALIFORNIA DROUGHT IS HAVING AN UNUSUAL IMPACT THIS MEMORIAL DAY. AS SUMMER GETS UNDERWAY, THE FLOWS IN SOME KEY RIVERS WILL ACTUALLY INCREASE. EVEN DURING THE DROUGHT BUSINESS FOR THE RIVER ECONOMY IS UP. KCRA 3'S RICHARD SHARP SHOWS US WHY. RICHARD: UNLESS YOU SEE IT EVERYDAY, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THE MIDDLE FORK OF THE AMERICAN RIVER IS RUNNING A LOT HIGHER THAN NORMAL. ITS CHANGES QUITE A BIT ACTUALLY IT ACTUALLY HELPS THE RIVER RAFTERS TOO. YOU CAN ACTUALY SEE THE RIVER AND HOW IT FLOWS AND YOU CAN AVOID THE ROCKS MORE WHEN ITS UP. RICHARD: THE WATER AGENCY IN CHARGE OF FLOWS IN THE RIVER JUST ANNOUNCED IT WILL INCREASE THE FLOW OF WATER AT CERTAIN TIMES, LIKE WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS, FOR POWER GENERATION AND TO HELP THE RIVER ECONOMY. FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS JOHN HAUSCHILD HAS BEEN A GUIDE ON THE MIDDLE FORK OF THE AMERICAN I ACTUALLY HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE, THE RIVER TURNS ON AND THEN IT TURNS OFF. SO YOU HAVE TO RAFT WITHIN THAT WINDOW. RICHARD: HAUSCHILD SAYS EVEN IN A DROUGHT, THE RAFTING BUSINESS IS GOOD. HIS BUSINESS HAS DOUBLED COMPARED TO A NORMAL YEAR. HE ALSO SAYS THE CROWDS USUALLY GO TO THE SOUTH FORK OF THE AMERICAN NEAR LOTUS, WHICH ALSO HAS CONTROLLED FLOWS. BUT HE SAYS THE MIDDLE FORK IS GAINING ATTENTION. YOU GET DOWN THERE, IT'S JUST GORGEOUS. RIGHT AWAY THERE ARE RAPIDS. RICHARD: THE NUMBERS ARE IMPRESSIVE. IN JUST 3 HOURS OF WATER RELEASES, THEY'LL RELEASE ABOUT A THOUSAND CUBIC FEET A WATER PER SECOND. THAT IS MUCH MORE NORMAL. THAT IS WAY UPSTREAM. IT'LL TAKE ABOUT TEN HOURS FOR ALL THAT WATER TO FLOW TO THE CONFLUENCE IN AUBURN. THE INCREASED FLOWS WILL NOT ONLY HELP THOSE RUNNING THE RIVER, IT'LL ALSO HELP THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO COME HERE EVERY WEEKEND LOOKING FOR FUN ON THE MIDDLE FORK. I THINK IT'S GREAT. WE'VE BEEN COMING HERE FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS, THE KIDS LOVE IT AND ITS GOOD MEMORIES. IT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, ITS SUMMER TIME. ROB: THE FLOWS ON THE MIDDLE FORK WERE INCREASED FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND THEY'LL BE INCREASED ON THE WEEKENDS IN JUNE AND THEN TUESDAYS, FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS IN JULY

Increased water releases give boost to NorCal rafting businesses

The drought is hurting a lot of businesses in California, but an increase in water releases in Northern California rivers is providing a boost to rafting rentals.